1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to a device for opening a side window glass synchronously with an expansion of air bags and, more particularly, to a device capable of automatically lowering the side window glass in the event of an expansion of the air bags, thus allowing excessively compressed air and explosive sound to be effectively discharged from the passenger compartment of an automobile into the atmosphere.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As well known to those skilled in the art, air bags are used as a passenger safety device for automotive vehicles. Such air bags have a bag, which is selectively and automatically inflated with pressurized gas so as to provide a cushioned protection against the impact of a collision. Such air bags are typically mounted in front of a driver's seat, front passenger's seat and/or rear seat providing a safety feature for the driver and passengers of an automobile.
However, an automobile with such conventional air bags has a problem as will be described below. That is, when the air bags are expanded in response to impact energy of a collision, the air in the passenger compartment or cabin of the automobile is instantaneously compressed. Also, due to the explosion of gunpowder embedded in the air bags, a high explosive sound is generated. Such compressed air and high explosive sound may easily inflict injury, such as an earblasting, on passengers.
Therefore, the passenger compartment of the automobile requires a quick opening in such a manner that the window glass of a side door is automatically lowered by a power window regulator.
In FIG. 1, an example of such a power window regulator is schematically illustrated. As shown in FIG. 1, a window glass 1 is movably held by a frame (not shown) of a side door, thus being upwardly and downwardly movable by means of the power window regulator.
In such a power regulator system, a window carrier 2 is mounted at the lower portion of the window glass 1, and is movably engaged with a vertical guide channel 3, which is interposed between inner and outer panels of the side door.
In addition, the carrier 2 is connected to a regulator motor 4 by a cable 5 so that the carrier 2 is upwardly or downwardly movable along the guide channel 3 according to a rotating direction of the regulator motor 4.
However, such a conventional power window regulator is designed to be operated without having any relation with the air bags. Therefore, when the air bags are quickly expanded in the passenger compartment with the side window glasses being fully closed, the explosive pressure of the air bags may be added to the impact pressure externally applied to the automobile, seriously inflicting injury on the passengers, especially the elderly or the weak. Thus, the safety and operational reliability of the automobile are reduced.